Background
Howe was born in Boston, Massachussets, in 1828. According to his own statement his father was the Rev. Samuel Howe, an Episcopal minister.
When yet an infant, William was taken to England by his parents.
(Excerpt from The Electro-Therapeutic Guide It is not exp...)
Excerpt from The Electro-Therapeutic Guide It is not expected that this work will take the place ofa text-book of electro-therapeutics or a lec ture course upon this subject. This work is not written for the specialist in elec tro-therapeutics, but for the general practitioner with but limited knowledge on the subject. W. F. H. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
https://www.amazon.com/Electro-Therapeutic-Guide-Classic-Reprint/dp/133049959X?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=133049959X
(It may not be amiss to remark, in explanation of the star...)
It may not be amiss to remark, in explanation of the startling and sensational title chosen for this production, that logic has not yet succeeded in framing a title-page which shall clearly indicate the nature of a book. The greatest adepts have frequently taken refuge in some fortuitous word, which has served their purpose better than the best results of their analysis. So it was in the present case.
https://www.amazon.com/Danger-History-Great-Citys-Temptations/dp/1544609280?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRRWTH346WSPOAFQ&tag=prabook-20&linkCode=sp1&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1544609280
Howe was born in Boston, Massachussets, in 1828. According to his own statement his father was the Rev. Samuel Howe, an Episcopal minister.
When yet an infant, William was taken to England by his parents.
He received his education at King's College, London. On leaving college he studied medicine for a time, acquiring a knowledge of its theory and practice which in later years was of inestimable value, but subsequently he entered a London solicitor's office.
In 1858 he returned to the United Statesfrom England, settled in New York City, and was admitted to the bar there in 1859. Commencing practice in the police courts, he quickly attracted public attention by his vivid personality and in a short time he acquired an extensive clientele, drawn principally from the criminal element. On the outbreak of the Civil War he appeared in a number of habeas corpus applications having for their objects the discharge from the army of men who alleged immunity or had enlisted while under the influence of liquor, thereby earning for himself the sobriquet of "Habeas Corpus Howe. "
In 1869 he took into partnership Abraham Henry Hummel and for the next thirty years the firm of Howe & Hummel was notorious not only in New York City but throughout the country. Their office, at Center and Leonard Streets near the Tombs, displaying on its exterior a gigantic sign bearing the name of the firm in imposing letters which were illuminated at night, became a haven of refuge for every category of offender against the law. Howe, himself, specialized in the defense of persons accused of homicide and rarely undertook any other class of case. His success was phenomenal. Though his office was "a veritable cesspool of perjury" (Wellman, post, p. 116), there is no proof that he ever had personally any part in the fabrication of testimony, and some of his most astonishing verdicts were gained in the face of uncontradicted evidence of guilt. Perhaps the most extraordinary of all his triumphs was in the trial of Unger, where he procured a verdict of manslaughter though the facts disclosed cold-blooded murder attended by circumstances of particular atrocity.
Howe's methods were unique. At the outset of a trial he attracted attention by his striking appearance, invariably wearing gaudy clothing, and brightly colored ties, accompanied by a dazzling display of personal trinkets and a watch of abnormal proportions. Having thus aroused the curiosity and interest of the jury he thenceforth dominated the scene by his consummate acting, calling into play every device known to dramatic art. Complete familiarity with technicalities of the law, wide knowledge of human nature, unusual powers of cross-examination, and an expert knowledge of medical jurisprudence, compensated for his lack of oratorical ability, and his homely unadorned addresses invariably brought the jury into closer sympathy with his cause than polished eloquence could have done. His audacity knew no bounds, as was demonstrated by his successful invocation of epilepsy as a defense in the cases of Blakely and Chambers, both of whom had been proved beyond question guilty of murder.
During some twenty-five years he was retained in practically every murder trial in New York City, but his irregular mode of life gradually undermined his strong constitution, and his last years were spent in semi-retirement at his home in the Bronx, N. Y. In 1882 he was associated with Daniel G. Rollins in a codification of the criminal law which was subsequently embodied by the legislature in the Penal Code, and in 1888, in collaboration with Hummel, he published In Danger; or, Life in New York, incorporating references to many of his more outstanding cases. Arthur Train's novel, The Confessions of Artemas Quibble (1911), is based largely on Howe's career. Apart from the law his only interest was in the stage, and for many years he was standing counsel to the members of the theatrical profession, both legitimate and variety.
(It may not be amiss to remark, in explanation of the star...)
(Excerpt from The Electro-Therapeutic Guide It is not exp...)
Quotes from others about the person
"He certainly left an imprint upon the records of the criminal courts of this city, which no one has ever equalled. He was sui generis. There will never be another 'Bill' Howe" (Wellman, post, p. 108).
He married at least three times, once in the United Kingdom and at least twice in the USA.
